Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary

on the Whole Bible

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Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (1721)

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First Peter

Completed by ZECH. MERRILL.

Chapter 1 Chapter 2

Chapter 3 Chapter 4

Chapter 5

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AN

EXPOSITION,

W I T H   P R A C T I C A L   O B S E R V A T I O N S,

OF THE FIRST EPISTLE GENERAL OF

P E T E R.

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TWO

epistles we have enrolled in the sacred canon of the scripture written

by Peter, who was a most eminent apostle of Jesus Christ, and whose

character shines brightly as it is described in the four Gospels and in

the Acts of the Apostles, but, as it is painted by the papists and

legendary writers, it represents a person of extravagant pride and

ambition. It is certain from scripture that Simon Peter was one of the

first of those whom our Lord called to be his disciples and followers,

that he was a person of excellent endowments, both natural and

gracious, of great parts and ready elocution, quick to apprehend and

bold to execute whatever he knew to be his duty. When our Saviour

called his apostles, and gave them their commission, he nominated him

first in the list; and by his behaviour towards him he seems to have

distinguished him as a special favourite among the twelve. Many

instances of our Lord’s affection to him, both during his life and

after his resurrection, are upon record. But there are many things

confidently affirmed of this holy man that are directly false: as, That

he had a primacy and superior power over the rest of the apostles–that

he was more than their equal–that he was their prince, monarch, and

sovereign–and that he exercised a jurisdiction over the whole college

of the apostles: moreover, That he as the sole and universal pastor

over all the Christian world, the only vicar of Christ upon earth–that

he was for above twenty years bishop of Rome–that the popes of Rome

succeed to St. Peter, and derive from him a universal supremacy and

jurisdiction over all churches and Christians upon earth–and that all

this was by our Lord’s ordering and appointment; whereas Christ never

gave him any pre-eminence of this kind, but positively forbade it, and

gave precepts to the contrary. The other apostles never consented to

any such claim. Paul declares himself not a whit behind the very

chief apostles,
2 Cor. xi. 5 and xii. 11.

Here is no exception of Peter’s superior dignity, whom Paul took the

freedom to blame, and withstood him to the face,
Gal. ii. 11.

And Peter himself never assumed any thing like it, but modestly styles

himself an apostle of Jesus Christ; and, when he writes to the

presbyters of the church, he humbly places himself in the same rank

with them: The elders who are among you I exhort, who am also an

elder,
ch. v. 1.

See Dr. Barrow on the pope’s supremacy.

     

The design of this first epistle is,

I. To explain more fully the doctrines of Christianity to these

newly-converted Jews.

II. To direct and persuade them to a holy conversation, in the faithful

discharge of all personal and relative duties, whereby they would

secure their own peace and effectually confute the slanders and

reproaches of their enemies.

III. To prepare them for sufferings. This seems to be his principal

intention; for he has something to this purport in every chapter, and

does, by a great variety of arguments, encourage them to patience and

perseverance in the faith, lest the persecutions and sad calamities

that were coming upon them should prevail with them to apostatize from

Christ and the gospel. It is remarkable that you find not so much as

one word savouring of the spirit and pride of a pope in either of these

epistles.

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Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (1721)

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